Mineral, semi synthetic and synthetic oil

[Udders]

I know I'm gonna get greif for asking but...... can someone tell me the difference between the three please! Ta.

 

[Buz]

About 20 beer tokens

 

[D6]

semi is mineral with additives, full synth is just what it says

 

[Udders]

Yeah that's ok but how do you know which one you are supposed to use? Does it go with age, milage, car, bike, performance..... etc

 

[Decster]

read the manual for BuMW recommendations and then after that listen to the people who have used their bikes, Vern on here has his Donkey (1100gs) with 200,000+ miles, Steptoe knows his stuff and a host of others...

I use 20w50 mineral as recommended in my '02 1150gs...

 

[Udders]

I haven't got a manual yet which is why I'm asking. Thanks.

 

[Buz]

I believe if the bike is getting on and has always been run with mineral then use either Mineral or semi synthetic. But i'm no expert so will see what other Tossers come up with.....

 

[Udders]

The bike is an 02 1150 GS with only 7700 miles on it. It was serviced by BMW last. I'm off on a trip soon and want to take a 1 litre bottle of oil with me and want to get the right stuff. I just hadn't got a clue what would be in it now. Cheers.

 

[John Armstrong]

The bike is an 02 1150 GS with only 7700 miles on it. It was serviced by BMW last. I'm off on a trip soon and want to take a 1 litre bottle of oil with me and want to get the right stuff. I just hadn't got a clue what would be in it now. Cheers.

Could be anything, so change it for 20 / 50 and take a litre of that

 

[moly]

if its got loads of miles on it ams oil 20/50 full syn look on web site if its new run it in on mineral ,change it after 6000 to synthatic ,red line oil says 12000 between changes they are both super products bothand make a differance

 

[Decster]

The bike is an 02 1150 GS with only 7700 miles on it. It was serviced by BMW last. I'm off on a trip soon and want to take a 1 litre bottle of oil with me and want to get the right stuff. I just hadn't got a clue what would be in it now. Cheers.

change the oil to 20w50 mineral and take a litre with you

 

[Udders]

I'll get a litre of 20/50 then! Thanks

 

[GlynnJ]

Hold on...

I'll get a litre of 20/50 then! Thanks

No! That's not what he said! As you do not know what oil is in the bike, the safest option is to CHANGE all the oil to mineral 20W50 and then take an extra litre of that with you.

Although unlikely, if the dealer has put fully synthetic oil in the bike, and you top it up with mineral, you will make a mess.

The alternative would be to ask the dealer because it is likely that they have a common policy for all oil changes and could tell you what they use (unless the previous owner specifically asked for something else...)

GJ

 

[Steptoe]

! As you do not know what oil is in the bike, the safest option is to CHANGE all the oil to mineral 20W50 and then take an extra litre of that with you.

Although unlikely, if the dealer has put fully synthetic oil in the bike, and you top it up with mineral, you will make a mess.

You can top up with any oil, it really won't make one jot of difference if your sticking to the scheduled oil change times.

 

[Tarka]

You can top up with any oil, it really won't make one jot of difference if your sticking to the scheduled oil change times.

Eagerly awaits......

But what are the scheduled oil change times??? I haven't got a manual yet which is why I'm asking. Thanks.

Whatever happened to buying and studying a manual BEFORE you collect the bike ??

 

[Steptoe]

Whatever happened to buying and studying a manual BEFORE you collect the bike ??

Why waste money on a handbook or manual when you can buy something really useful like a stick on thermometer to tell you what the temperature is, or a sump extension to bolt to the stand to stop the rocks breaking your gearbox.

 

[Udders]

Eagerly awaits......




Whatever happened to buying and studying a manual BEFORE you collect the bike ??

I suppose you did that BEFORE buying your last tv, washing machine, car, mobile phone did you! NOT.
I test rode a GS, fell in love with them and bought one. What's so wrong with that?

 

[Decster]

I suppose you did that BEFORE buying your last tv, washing machine, car, mobile phone did you! NOT.

You'll have to forgive Tarka his foibles in relation to manuals but he is a RTFM OCD geek and he hates the 'what oil?' threads....

dont let it put you off. Getting a manual is not a bad idea. both cheap and availbalbe from a dealer. There are 2, a riders manual and a service one, both handy to have and cover the basics of the bike

 

[bowser]

Eagerly awaits......




Whatever happened to buying and studying a manual BEFORE you collect the bike ??

If you have to read the manual then its way to complicated, besides which Duckhams Q classic goes in everything, that way you dont have to read a manual, old bike, new bike any bike in my house gets the same stuff

 

[Udders]

Well if Tarka doesn't like "what oil" threads I suggest he doesn't post replies in them. I'm also glad he knows everything there is to know about oil. I don't which is why I use the forum! That is afterall, what they are for? Maybe people who do "know it all" about a certain subject (whatever it is) could make more use of their knowledge by helping people like me who don't! My question was a genuine one and I got a few helpful sugestions which was great. Thanks to the ones that helped.